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John Besford (1872-1954)
John Besford was born on 5th February 1872 at Cowpen Square, Blyth, Northumberland. John was the son of Alexander Besford, a coal miner, and his wife Elizabeth (Bessy) Besford (née Mills).
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Cowpen Square
Cowpen is situated on the southern bank of the River Blyth. The opening up of the Cowpen North and South pits at the end of the eighteenth century led to the building of Cowpen Square in order to house the coal miners and their families who came to Cowpen to work in these pits.
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Thomas Besford (1833-1914)
Thomas Besford was born at Espley, Northumberland, in 1833. He was baptised at the parish church of St. Mary Magdalene, Mitford, on 21st April 1833.
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Ann Besford (1825-1896)
Ann Besford was the daughter of Robert Besford (1792-1844) and his wife Mary Besford (née Marshall).
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Robert Besford (1856)
Robert Besford was the son of John Besford and Margaret Besford (née Patterson). Robert was born on 14th November 1856 at “Mill, Cowpen”. A windmill called Crofton or Cowpen Mill had been built in 1799. This was located near to Cowpen Square, where John and Margaret were recorded as living on the 1851 census. Robert…
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John Besford (1859)
John Besford was the son of John Besford and Margaret Besford (née Patterson). John was born on 19th September 1859 at Cowpen Lane, Blyth. He only lived for 15 days, dying on 4th October 1859. His death certificate gave the cause of death as “ Haemorrhage, 12 hours”.
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John Besford (1868-1869)
John Besford was the son of John Besford and Margaret Besford (née Patterson). John was born on 31st May 1868 at Cowpen Colliery, Blyth. John died on 25th July 1869 at Cowpen Colliery. He was just short of 14 months old. His death certificate gave the cause of death as “Debility”. He was the second…
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James Besford (1860)
James Besford was the son of John Besford and Margaret Besford (née Patterson). James was born on 21st August 1860 at Cowpen Lane, Blyth. He died three days later on 23rd August 1860. His death certificate gave the cause of death as “Icterus, 2 days”. Icterus is a term for Jaundice.
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Edward Besford (1857)
Edward Besford was the son of John Besford and Margaret Besford (née Patterson). Edward was born on 30th December 1857 at Crofton Mills, Cowpen, Blyth. Edward only lived for 13 hours, dying on 31st December 1857. His death certificate gave the cause of death as “Debility”.
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George Besford (1831-1908)
George Besford was born at Fenrother, Northumberland, and was baptised on 20th March 1831 at St. Cuthbert’s Parish Church, Hebron. He was the son of Robert Besford (1792-1844) and his wife Mary Besford (née Marshall).